“I have a few ideas for paintings I want to do. I am looking forward to experimenting with my new ideas and seeing how my practice develops in the next few months!”
Speaking about her time at the university, Hattie added: “I found studying painting at Brighton incredibly inspiring. It was such a warm environment to develop my practice in and always felt supported by tutors and fellow students.
“I always felt free to experiment and develop as an artist in the way that suited me. I felt that tutors challenged me, always telling me great ways to develop my practice as well as resources to look at.”
Hattie describes her work as ‘intense, indulgent, attention seeking and a bit weird’, regularly presenting powerful female characters with aggressively formed, caricature-style faces and confident poses.
“I am trying to reclaim how women have often been presented in art history”, said Hattie.
“Due to the male gaze, women have often been painted to appear passive as well as objectified in art history. Contrasting to this, the women in my paintings are the ones in control”.
Mark Cass, founder and CEO of Cass Art, said: “We are delighted to work in partnership with Phoenix Brighton Studios together with the University of Brighton to offer a prize that will truly benefit a graduating artist, helping them to continue to develop their practice by offering them a free studio space for a year.
“We were completely blown away by Hattie’s bold, figurative paintings, vivid use of colour and unique style. I look forward to seeing how her work develops over the coming year and wish her the best of luck in her future career as an artist.”
Amanda Bright, the university’s Head of the School of Art, added: “The annual Phoenix Brighton residency provides an invaluable opportunity for a School of Art graduate to develop their work during the year immediately after graduation and we are hugely grateful to Phoenix Brighton and Cass Art for making this opportunity available again.
“The residency provides space, time to reflect, develop and plan and the support of being part of a vibrant artist community and we are delighted that Hattie was chosen this year. Her work is powerful and challenging and we really look forward to seeing it develop over the next 12 months.
“We wish her every success and look forward to welcoming her back to the School of Art to hear all about her time at Phoenix at the end of her residency next year.”
Follow Hattie and view her work on Instagram.